Crime and Neighborhoods
U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Bureau of Justice Statistics Crime Data Brief
Crime and Neighborhoods
June 1994, NCJ-147005
Full text with tables available from:
Bureau of Justice Statistics Clearinghouse
800-732-3277
(fax number for report orders and mail list signup only: 410-792-4358)
Box 179
Annapolis Junction, MD. 20701-0179
By Carol J. DeFrances and Steven K. Smith
BJS Statisticians
From 1985 to 1991, the percentage of all U.S. households identifying
"crime" as a neighborhood problem increased from 5% to 7%, according
to the American Housing Survey. Crime has become a particular
neighborhood concern among black households. Asked what bothers them
about their neighborhood, the percentage of all black households reporting
"crime" almost doubled from 9% to 17%. Among central city black
households in 1991, almost a quarter said "crime" was a neighborhood
problem, up from 12% in 1985.
In 1991 "crime" was the most often mentioned neighborhood problem for
black central city households. Less frequently cited problems included
"traffic," "noise," and "poor public services." In 1985 the most often
mentioned problem that bothered black central city households was
"people" (19%), which includes disliked neighbors, while "crime" was
mentioned by 12%. In 1989-91 "crime" displaced "people" as the most
often specified problem.
The percentage of all white households mentioning crime as a
neighborhood problem also increased during this period, but it was
consistently lower than that of black households. Among white central
city households, crime never became the most frequently mentioned
neighborhood problem, despite an increase from 8% in 1985 to 13% in
1991.
Central city households (15%) were more likely to have identified crime
as a neighborhood problem in 1991 than suburban households (5%) or
rural households (2%). This has been the case since 1985 when this
particular question was first asked.
Perception reflects victimization
In general, how different types of households assessed neighborhood crime
reflected how much they were victimized by crime. Black households
regularly mentioned crime as a neighborhood problem more frequently
than white households and have consistently had a higher percentage of
violent crime victimization as well as overall victimization.
During the period addressed by this report, central city households were
consistently more likely to have experienced a violent crime than either
suburban or rural households. Most State prison inmates report having
committed their offense outside their own neighborhood
The 1991 BJS survey of State prison inmates found a majority (57%) of
inmates had committed the offense for which they were serving time
outside their own neighborhood. This included an estimated 69% of
property offenders and 55% of violent offenders.
In 1991 central cities held over a fourth of white households
and over half of black households
Percent of households
_____________________
White Black
_____ _____
Central city* 28% 59%
Suburban 49 27
Rural 23 14
*Refers to the largest city or grouping of cities in a Metropolitan
Statistical Area.
Black households were most likely to identify crime as a neighborhood
problem, 1985-91.
Percent of households identifying crime as a problem
____________________________________________________
1985 1987 1989 1991
____ _____ _____ _____
All households 4.7% 4.8% 6.4% 7.4%
White 4.0 3.8 5.1 6.0
Black 8.5 11.0 15.4 16.5
Hispanic 7.7 8.4 11.2 12.1
Elderly 3.2 3.1 3.4 4.4
Place of residence
Central city 9.1% 9.7% 13.1% 15.0%
Suburban 2.9 2.9 3.9 4.6
Rural 1.4 1.1 1.5 1.9
Note: Excludes missing data and those occupied units not considered
in a neighborhood, ranging from 1% to 4% of units in subpopulations.
Question: "Is there anything about the neighborhood that bothers you?"
Source: American Housing Survey, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Bureau of the
Census.
For black central city households, few problems other than crime were an
increasing concern, 1985-91
Percent of black central city households
_______________________________________
1985 1987 1989 1991
_____ _____ _____ _____
No problems 55.4% 52.1% 50.2% 50.2%
Problems 44.6 47.9 49.8 49.8
Crime 11.8 15.4 20.9 22.7
People 18.6 17.7 17.2 17.6
Noise 10.1 10.0 10.0 12.1
Litter or housing deterioration 9.5 10.1 8.5 7.7
Traffic 5.2 5.7 5.6 6.2
Poor city or county services 3.3 3.0 2.7 3.1
Undesirable commercial property 2.0 1.7 1.6 1.8
Other 8.0 8.3 9.7 8.5
Number of households
(in millions)* 5.90 6.09 6.21 6,25
Note: Excludes missing data and those occupied units not considered in
a neighborhood, an estimated 84,000 in 1985, 161,000 in 1987, 151,000
in 1989, and 144,000 in 1991. Figures may not add to totals because
more than one category may apply to a housing unit.
*The estimate for the total number of households in 1991 is based on 1990
weighting and is not directly comparable to prior year estimates.
Question: "Is there anything about the neighborhood that bothers you?"
Source: American Housing Survey, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991.
72% of robbers in State prison committed the crime outside their
neighborhood.
Percent of State prison
inmates committing crime
_________________________________
In own Outside
Offense neighborhood(a) own neighborhood
_____________________________________________________________
All offenses 43.0% 57.0%
Violent offenses 44.7% 55.3%
Murder(b) . 44.5 55.5
Rape 59.6 40.4
Robbery 28.4 71.6
Assault 50.0 50.0
Property offenses 31.1% 68.9%
Burglary 32.5 67.5
Motor vehicle theft 32.1 67.9
Larceny 24.8 75.2
Drug offenses 52.0% 48.0%
Public-order offenses 47.9% 52.1%
Weapons 50.6 49.4
Other 47.0 53.0
Other offenses 34.4% 65.6%
Note: Based on a sample survey from among the approximately
711,000 State prison inmates. Table excludes approximately 1.8%
of cases that are missing data.
(a) Includes offenses committed in inmate's home.
(b) Includes nonnegligent manslaughter.
Source: 1991 Survey of Inmates in State Correctional Facilities, BJS.
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